Direct Tv DVR & Recorded Programs

[Deepsouth]

When we go on a short trip, just for a few days, we leave the satellite antenna at home and just take the DVR box so we can watch recorded programs in the evenings. On this last trip we plugged in the box and connected it to the TV with the HDMI cable and went through the set-up until we go to the "trouble connecting to satellite" screen. Usually at this point I can select "List" or "Menu/View Playlist" and the recorded shows appear and we're good to go. This time the progress bar appeared with "Please wait" above it, so we waited...and waited...and waited. Thirty minutes later we're still waiting and no recorded programs.

I've powered down, rebooted and done a reset with the red reset button. The same thing happens at home. When connected to the satellite, we're back in business and everything works fine.

I remember some years ago Direct had a software glitch that would not let you watch recorded programs unless connected to the satellite, but they fixed that and everything's been fine... til now. Does anyone know if AT&T and Direct have decided to "improve" things again? I see a phone call to Direct in my future and have to say I am NOT looking forward to it!

[MarkEHansen]

Hmmm, as I understood it - this is how DirecTV works. I never heard they "fixed" it, I was told I can't watch my recorded content without a sat hookup. It will work for a little while, but the box has a check it does from time to time that requires the sat. If it fails the check, it doesn't come up.

Again, perhaps they "fixed" this and I just never heard...

[Deepsouth]

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

Hmmm, as I understood it - this is how DirecTV works. I never heard they "fixed" it, I was told I can't watch my recorded content without a sat hookup. It will work for a little while, but the box has a check it does from time to time that requires the sat. If it fails the check, it doesn't come up.

Again, perhaps they "fixed" this and I just never heard...

I guess they did. We've done this for several years now...just take the DVR and hook it up to the TV via HDMI cable. Let it go thru the set up and when it gets to "can't connect to the satellite" message, click on "List" and recorded programs pop up, just like at home connected to the dish.

When it gets to the "can't connect", I can go to Menu/Manage Recordings/Recording History and pull up the programs recorded and go through them one by one...all 800 of them including those cancelled and deleted! By doing this I can finally find something to watch, but boy it takes a while! I can't understand why if the programs are in this listing why I can't get them on "List" or " View Playlist".